Struggle for Happiness
by Dark Creation
Summary: After helping Magus restore the Epoch, Lucca is driven to help him on his quest, while at the same time the two are drawn more and more to each other. Lucca/Magus Schala/Cyrus PG for swearing[COMPLETE]-Epilogue: Lucca finishes the struggle for happiness..
1. Chapter 1: Magus

Struggle for Happiness

Written By: Dark Creation

Chapter 1: Magus 

If you could have told her that she would be travelling with me 5 years ago, she would've blown you off like you were a crazy old man telling stories. She was always very headstrong. She knew what she knew and anything else couldn't be correct. It was very hard to deal with her sometimes, because she knew a lot. For this reason, it was hard, often times, to be civil to her when we traveled. She knew I was of above average intelligence, but hers was a brilliance that she would not allow to be equaled. My knowledge differed from hers. Where she could oust me any day in a duel of machinery and technology, my knowledge far exceeded hers in the way of magic and survival. 

It's not quite clear to me, right now, where it all started. It was about 5 years ago and I have many important memories that I cannot afford to forget. If I remember correctly, I had somehow managed to return to the year 1000 AD and was still on my quest. I needed to get back to my own time. I had not yet mastered a spell of tearing open gates and the only method of transportation through time was the Epoch time machine, the masterwork of the great Guru of Reason, the late Belthasar. I attempted to speak with the princess first, knowing she would be the most likely to help me. The two guards at the castle doors approached me and immediately attempted to engage in a battle against me. A small display of my power proved to knock the guards speechless and I entered the great castle of Guardia, a symbol of the kingdom that I tried to destroy 400 years earlier.

As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by the chancellor. He was much more polite this time, probably because he truly was the chancellor and not the Yakra monster that the princess, the boy, and I defeated 5 years ago. I never thought I would be fighting a monster whose ancestor swore loyalty to me 400 years ago, but that's how things go for me. Anyway, I was soon told that the lady had left on a vacation to the Choras continent. I gave my thanks and left. I knew Crono was probably with her, so I had only one chance to leave the era within a week.

I made my way to her house. I always liked the location of her home. It was solitary and surrounded by water. The surroundings weren't crowded beaches, either. Tall cliffs and sharp rocks scraped against the sea. I probably would have built my Truce outpost there, had my forces made it across the bridge. My only problems with her home was that it was a little too cozy in most of the rooms and it was littered with different machines and broken projects that she and her father had worked on in years past. The Ashtears were the worst packrats I had ever known, outside of Ozzie and Slash, who kept every piece of armor and weaponry they could get their hands on.

I knocked on the door and as I waited a gruff voice came from behind a small opening.

"Who is it?"

"I'm a friend of Lucca's." an acquaintance would be more appropriate. I didn't have any friends.

"Oh, alright, come on in." the voice said. I heard many clicks waiting to be let in. When I entered, I realized that the clicks I heard were at least a dozen locks. I wondered what the Ashtears were doing that required so much security. When I looked around, I saw a large muscular man, working on a piece of machinery. It could've only been Taban Ashtear.

"I don't seem to remember you, who are you again?" for a genius, Taban was very forgetful.

"I'm Janus." I decided to use my old name until I got out of Guardia, even after 400 years, people can be vengeful.

"Nice to meet you, Janus. Say, you don't look to healthy. You oughta eat somthin. Would you like to stay for dinner?" his comments on my appearance were somewhat insulting, but after thinking about it for a second, I probably didn't look that good. I hadn't eaten in 3 days and I am naturally pale.

"I suppose a good meal would be nice. I haven't eaten in quite a while." Taban smiled at me and nodded. He turned and headed through the door in the back to the room.

"Lucca, someone's here to see you!" he shouted. His voice was gruff and loud, but I was even more surprised by the voice I heard next.

"WHO IS IT!?" a female voice shouted over the stairs as though as she was having trouble hearing herself. Before Taban could answer, there was an explosion and a figure, black with pitch and grease, and accompanied by assorted metal debris slid, head first, down the stairs. She quickly took out a handkerchief and wiped the pitch from her glasses. Two big, brown eyes stared at me for a moment. I could see her mouth open in surprise. After all, it had been 5 years and I was never one to be social.

"Lucca, you know this Janus?" Taban asked her, as if he was unsure I was a friend. I didn't blame him, I wasn't exactly a regular in Truce.

"Um, yeah dad, he's a friend of mine, when I went on that adventure, remember?" she told him, trying to assure him I was not a robber or a murderer, both which I have been on previous occasions.

"Alright. Why don't you two go talk in your room, Lucca. I've got some stuff to do down here and you probably don't want me to hear your conversation anyway." That was the one thing I admired about Taban, he was always trying to get something done. Which was more than I could say for most of the people I had met in my 32 years up to that point.

We headed up to her room, dodging the debris from her recent project. As I walked through to door, I noticed multiple fire extinguishers along the right wall and a burnt patch of floor. She closed the door behind her and immediately began speaking.

"What are you doing here?" She went straight to the point. Her tone of voice gave me the impression that it would be very difficult to convince her to help me.

"I'm not exactly sure. I need you to help me." I said, trying to be as polite as I possibly could without seeming too helpless.

"What do you want, Magus?" she used the name she knew me by. After the defeat of Lavos, I began to dislike the name more and more, but I knew I could never go back to being Janus. Too many people know what Magus has done.

"I need the epoch. Do you still have it?" after I said the name of the time machine, a look came upon her face that told me I was in for some bad news.

"Magus....I disassembled it. We weren't using it anymore and the three of us agreed it would be too big of a risk to keep it functioning."

"Dammit." I knew this would be a long day. "How long will it take to fix?"

"I don't know. If I can get some help, maybe a month or two."

"WHAT!? No, unacceptable. I need it now!" I was acting childish, but in an intimidating way. I never thought I was acting childish until I looked back.

"I don't know what to tell you. The reconstruction alone will take 3 weeks, at least."

"DAMMIT!!!" I was getting louder and louder, out of frustration. Somehow, I managed to calm myself down. "Fine. I'll help you."

"What?" she seemed confused, it was one of a few times I would ever see her like that.

"Well, what did you think I would do. Give up and live my life here in misery, dying slowly of boredom. I need out of this era. When do you want to begin." she looked at me like I said I was moving in, and in order to get the job done, I would have to.

"Um...tomorrow. Where are you going to stay?"

"I don't know. I don't have enough money to spend a month or two at the inn. I suppose I'll sleep outside." I don't know if I sounded like I wanted pity when I said this, but for some reason, I got it.

"No. You'll be my guest. You can sleep downstairs, just don't touch anything." she was about to say something else when an older female voice erupted from the room below.

"Lucca, dinner's ready!" she didn't have the offensively loud and booming shout that her husband and daughter shared. Lucca quickly rushed down stairs. I thought she would fall down again. 

By the time I arrived at the table, Lucca and Taban had already begun to mow through their meal. I politely sat down and waited to be served. The woman, around middle age, looked at me strangely from time to time. It didn't bother me, I wasn't exactly normal looking.

"Here you go, an ear of corn, a potato....do you want a breast or a drumstick?" she asked politely.

"Breast, please. Lucca," I tried to grab her attention away from the corn that she was devouring, much like Ozzie used to eat human limbs, although Lucca's meal was much easier on the eye, "when do you want to start tomorrow?"

"Dawn. You want this job done, right. We'll work from dawn until midnight, taking off only 3 hours for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Does that sound good?" she didn't wait for an answer. She practically dove back into the corn. Taban was pulled away from his food for a moment.

"What are you two doing tomorrow?" he asked.

"We're gonna start rebuilding the Epoch. Mag...Janus is going to stay with us for a few weeks, okay dad?" this time she ripped into her chicken after finishing her question. Taban just shrugged and began eating again. Lucca's mother was a little more attentive than Taban and spoke up.

"Lucca, I don't feel right about this. I mean, no offense sir, but a young man, living here for a few weeks? That might be the start of something a little......you know..." she wouldn't say it in front of her daughter, but Lucca and I both knew what she meant.

"Mom, he's twice my age and besides, he's going to sleep downstairs." Lucca tried to reassure her mother, but Mrs. Ashtear still kept a watchful eye on me the rest of dinner. After dinner, I went straight to bed, knowing I'd need the energy for the next few days.


	2. Chapter 2: Lucca

Chapter 2: Lucca

He had been quite polite his first night here, which was a big surprise. My parents went on a 3 day trip to Porre to gather some equipment for Dad's new project after dinner. I couldn't sleep the whole night, so I began to work a little on the Epoch. Somehow, I had gotten the central frame back together, but time seemed to work against me. As I finished putting the final bolts into the frame, a worn out Magus walked into the work room. He looked grouchy, probably from the very uncomfortable couch that we kept in the living room. I was fairly tired, but I tried my best to hide it. I tried to be as cheerful as possible. I think I was a little to successful, because I think he saw through it.

"Morning, sleepyhead. What's the matter, was Lucca's couch to much for the dark wizard?" I tried to get him to smile, something I had rarely seen him do. He just grunted before speaking.

"How long have you been up?" I could tell he suspected I had been up all night, but I lied anyway.

"Only since 3. Look, I was able to get the central frame together. We could probably finish it and begin putting the plates on by supper time." I tried to be optimistic, he sure didn't look like he was trying too hard.

"Alright, let's continue where you left off." This was all he said for the next 6 hours. We worked, and worked, and worked. It had been a long time since I had worked that hard for so long, and with a sleepless night behind me, It wasn't looking to good. He seemed to be up for it, though. When began putting the plates on, I could really feel it get to me. 

The plates are very heavy pieces of a special metal, to help survive the trip through time. They are also very sharp at the edges. With this in mind, we thought it best to work together. We began putting the plates on at about 3 in the afternoon. While he was bolting the top plate down on the right wing, the fatigue got to me. I zoned out and lost my grip on the plate. It fell like a stone, but worst of all, we got cut. I got a deep gash down my left hand . Magus wasn't so lucky. It cut through his left hand glove and cut him like it did me, but then it cut the top of his thigh down to his kneecap. I looked at him, then I looked at my hand, and I started to feel faint. After assessing the damage, he let loose on me.

"You stupid clod! No wonder none of your projects work, or survive for that matter! Look what you did! Dammit! What the hell is wrong with you! Shit! This is going to take forever to clean out and bandage. Stupid fool." He muttered that last part under his breath.

He hurt me. He struck a nerve. I hated being called stupid. I loathed being called a failure. Everything he said burned into my soul and I did something....I cried. I Something kept me from being angry, and instead, I just felt horrible. I screamed back at him through the sobs.

"You horrible, evil bastard! Why are you such an insensitive prick!? Do you think I did it on purpose!? ...I mean....everybody makes mistakes......you didn't have to yell at me........you didn't have.....to.....make.....me...." I never finished what I was saying. 

I woke up in bed. There was a bandage on my hand and an ice pack on my head. My head hurt and I still felt horrible about what Magus said. I looked around the room. No Magus. I saw a tray with a plate of food. It didn't look very good, but at that point I would eat just about anything. I ate the meal quickly. I was so hungry. After I finished, I noticed a note on the tray. It was written very neatly, with an elegant handwriting. It read:

Lucca,

After you passed out, you fell onto the frame of the Epoch. I bandaged you up and got you into your bed. You should stay there the rest of the day. I made you dinner, although probably wasn't very good. Mine wasn't, if that makes you feel any better. Listen, don't take what I said earlier seriously. I get mad easily. I'll let you rest and tomorrow, we'll continue working on the Epoch. Next time, if you begin to feel faint, tell me. That's about it.

Magus

I wasn't exactly sure if it was an apology, but it made me feel somewhat better. I figured it would be difficult to get an outright apology out of him. 

I laid in bed, reading a book for a few hours, when I head footsteps. I had forgotten about him for that brief period. Before he entered the room, however, he stopped. I didn't have a clue what he could possibly be doing. After a couple minutes he came in and sat down in the chair next to my bed. The pause allowed me to think back on what he had said earlier, and I felt bad again. When he came in, I just stared at him. He leaned over and rubbed his thumb on my cheek.

"A tear." he said, almost to himself, as if he knew why it was there. He looked at me for a moment, then spoke again. "Lucca, I'm....I...I'm...sorry. I'm sorry for what I said. You're not stupid. You're not a failure. You're a beautiful, intelligent human being." He knew what he wanted to say, but even after that pause in the hallway, he couldn't get it out right away. I could tell he was confused about his emotions of the moment. He'd never really felt guilt or pity before. Then, there he was. Not only had he apologized about what he said, he gave me a wonderful compliment. 

"Thank you, Magus. I'm sorry I let that plate slip." 

"Lucca. While I was watching over you, I couldn't help think to myself that I had attacked one of the few people that had ever come close to accepting me as a friend. You remind me of Schala, being kind and generous to those who don't deserve it. Thank you."

What he had said to me was the last thing I ever thought he would ever say. I thought it was highly uncharacteristic of him, at the time. Now, he wasn't hitting on me or anything, but it seemed he truly wanted to make a connection with me. I was in a flustered state. I didn't know what to think. He got up to leave, but before he could, I got up.

"Thank you, Magus, so much. What you just said means a lot to me." In the heat of the moment, I may have done something stupid. I kissed him. No, it wasn't anything special, just a peck on the cheek. I look at him, smiling, before I went back to bed. I felt so good after that, but I wasn't sure why. I decided to forget about it and go to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day.

~Author's note: I have a few things to say. First of all, I'm sorry this chapter's short, but it's somewhat strange writing in Lucca's POV. Not that I'm not going to do it anymore, but it just may be a few chapters before I get comfortable with it, I've never done a woman's POV before in writing (or a romance for that matter), but I decided that it would be important to the story, seeing as it's a romance (and if I remember correctly those involve 2 people), to have both sides. Secondly, I know Magus seems way out of character, but I'm trying to get an image of an older, wiser Magus who doesn't want to be alone anymore, so all you dark, evil, murdering, insult-hurling scythe-wielding sorcerer fans please don't kill me, I'm going for original AND entertaining here. Lastly, I would like to thank the following people:

Milaya Milen Zeal-My first reviewer

Kit Thespian

Sailor Leo (Anonymous Reviewer)

Lord Cirenmas (Anonymous Reviewer)

Shiko (Anonymous Reviewer)

Imania

For your feed back. Keep it coming. I need it. If you have any suggestion or changes you think should be made, please tell me, I'm always trying to make my fics better and I can't do it with out you, the reader. Peace out.

Dark Creation


	3. Chapter 3: Magus

Chapter 3: Magus

*Author's Note: Apologies to Sailor Leo for the anonymous reviewer thing. To answer Milaya Milen Zeal's question, she's 21. I don't think there's a definite age system in the game for them, but I thought this was how it went:

Crono, Lucca and Marle: 16

Magus: 27 (7 at the fall of Zeal, 17 at the time of Cyrus' demise)

Frog: 26 (16 at the time of Cyrus' demise)

Ayla: ????

Robo: ????

Schala: 16 (at the time of the fall of Zeal)

Cyrus: 20 (at the time of his death, 10 years before the game began)

etc. etc.

Just add 5 to those numbers, except Schala and Cyrus, and you've got the ages. I hope that answer's any questions about age. Also, the end result of Chrono Cross will be a part this story, which will be explained how later on. Now, on to chapter 3.*

That day was very odd for me. Apology was not something I practiced often, and affection wasn't something I practiced openly. When I look back, I think that was when I began to feel differently towards her. I felt strange being around her for the longest time. It took a week for me to be able to speak to her again, at least other than "hand me this" or "hold onto that". When Lucca's parents came home, she told them what had happened with the plate, but didn't say anything about what had happened after that. I was somewhat grateful, I didn't want her parents thinking I wasn't safe to be around.

Work on the Epoch was going great, up until the point where we had to rebuild the time travelling component to the epoch. I was rendered somewhat useless. I didn't want to have her do it alone. I never liked having anyone do anything for me, even when it meant killing someone. Nonetheless, Lucca wanted me out so she could concentrate. Having no place else to go, I went to Leene Square.

I always liked Truce Canyon better than Leene Square. Leene Square was always so full of people, which was definitely a negative aspect in my book and it still is. Truce Canyon was never full of people. You'd see a stray imp here or there, but you could always enjoy the sound of the streams trickling across the rocks, or the fact that it always felt like perpetual dusk there. In Leene Square, the sun was always beating down or it was filled with lights of all sorts. It was too cheerful for me. 

I found myself very bored with most of the attractions left over from the Millennial Fair. Most of the shops had shut down, but a few of the games were still up. After beating up Lucca's battle robot, Gato (Not a difficult task at all. I know imps that could beat that thing), and striking the bell at the "Test of Strength" game, I decided I would bet on a few races. While watching the races, I noticed everyone having a good time. Men, women, children, and sex crazed teenagers all were having fun. Doing watch, it depended on the person. I felt like I was the only one bored there. I never enjoyed the same things other people did. It made me wonder if my life was worth living if I was never happy.

I went over to the book stand, which had been placed in Melchior's old stand. I sifted through the biographies, and there I saw it. 

"Magus: The twisted Warlord." I read the title aloud. I loved the illustration. It might have almost passed for me, except for the big wings, the mouth full of razor sharp teeth and the horns coming out of my forehead and back. 

"Are you interested in that book?" the lady at the book stand asked me. I smiled at her for a moment.

"Do you know that this isn't entirely accurate? I am a scholar of the ancient war of mystics and humans. I have seen statues the mystics created of the Magus. He appears much more human than this cover depicts." I said to her. I was amused with this and I wanted to hear her reply.

"Well, I'm sure that Magus wasn't as demonic as that book potrays, but the facts are there. The alliance with Ozzie, Slash and Flea, The war, the battle with Sir Cyrus, his defeat at the hands of Sir Glenn. Buy it and read if you want to see for your self." I did as much. It was the worst 10 gold pieces I had ever spent. Apparently, some researcher has credible information saying that hid behind Ozzie, Slash and Flea while burning villages and that I stabbed Cyrus in the back with a poisoned dagger. The worst part was that I supposedly begged for mercy before the handsome Sir Glenn honorably did me in with the Masamune in a one on one battle. I hated that sort of thing, but I know the same thing would have happened had the mystics won and wrote a book about "the evil Cyrus", who burned mystic village with a wave of his sword and fell to the noble Magus.

I began to think more about Cyrus. I hadn't thought about him for a very long time. The truth about Cyrus is a very interesting tale. I knew more about him than the frog thought I did. From what I knew, he was like most men, except with a heightened sense of honor and justice, but he was blind to what was not straight forward. Had he known of the starving mystic children, exiled on a small continent by humans, with little to eat, he may have thought a little differently, not that it was this that had convinced me to take up their cause. Cyrus had an affair with Queen Leene 2 years before he left to gather the sword and medal. The battle itself was very short, but you already know that.

I returned to Lucca's home once the sun went down because I couldn't stand the lights of Leene Square. I could see the lights from Lucca's house easily, as the flashed different colors from time to time. It became apparent that she was still working on the time machine from the flashes and consistent cursing, followed by a loud "Lucca!!! DON"T SWEAR!!!! It's not lady-like." from Taban. When I arrived, she was exhausted, but she still acknowledged my presence.

"Hi." she said in a worn out voice.

"Hello." I replied, still feeling a bit strange.

"You know, you shouldn't travel at night, it's dangerous." she said, a little zoned out.

"I wasn't too worried." my mind was racing with thoughts, it was hard to gather them.

"Did you have fun?"

"As a matter of fact, I didn't. Although, I did find a slightly amusing book at the book stand." I began to feel a little bit more social. I tossed the book to her. She looked at the cover for a moment, looked at me, then looked back at the cover and began to chuckle.

"Did you read it?" she asked. I nodded with a smirk on my face. "This was required reading in a history class I took. I can remember going to fight you, I was scared out of my wits because of this cover. When I finally saw you, I felt like laughing a bit. You were intimidating, but not quite the demonic presence that I expected."

"Hmph, I was the most frightening being that Guardia will ever know. To the people 400 years ago, I was the incarnation of the devil." I had to defend my reputation, not that I had one anymore. I was dead to just about everyone.

"I know. I've kinda been wondering about the battle with Cyrus. You know, the one where you turned Frog into...well..a frog. You're obviously not the murderer that history remembers you by, so I want to know, what were you thinking when you did it?" she was getting very personal. 15 years ago, I would've killed her for asking a question like that. I was such a child. I may have acted calm, collected and mature, but my love of inflicting pain was like a child's craving of sugar. I had changed a lot.

"This..is sort of a personal matter for me. I never really thought about how I felt before. I know what I feel now." I lied to her. It was more the other way around. I knew how I felt before very well. I often fell asleep thinking about how I had struck down the hero of my enemy and how nothing could stop me from the final confrontation with Lavos. "Now that I look back, I regret what I did."

I was always good at hiding my feelings. At that point, I was so confused about myself, but I knew one thing. I never regretted what I did. I did think Cyrus was a loss when I thought about it 15 years after I did it, but I am selfish, always have been and always will be. I value my life and my goals over almost everything else. There are a couple exceptions, but we'll get to that.

"Magus....." she looked at me for a moment. She was searching for something. What, I don't know. After a moment, she spoke again. "Have you ever loved someone. Loved them to the point where you would give your life for them."

"That is what I have devoted my entire life to." I said to her. This was the absolute truth. I had always been ready to do anything to get Schala back. To end any pain she felt, even if it meant my own life. She smiled at me. She had that sort of smile that made you want to smile back. She did it to me a great deal. For a long time, I'd feel a sharp pain in my heart every time she smiled at me, because I felt I didn't deserve it. Her smile reminded me of Schala. Although the romantic love for her hadn't quite been sparked, I felt that I would give my life for her, too.

~ I hope you all love this chapter. This chapter is sort of a preview of a surprise towards the end of the story, with a little more of the romance, mainly the flicker that starts the burning in Magus' heart (jeez, that was really corny). Anyway, keep up the reviewing and thanks to all the people who have reviewed so far. Also, next chapter, we'll find out why Lucca struggles for happiness. PEACE!

Dark Creation


	4. Chapter 4: Lucca

Chapter 4: Lucca

*Author's Note: Hi everybody. Thanks for the great reviews, they've been keeping me wanting to give you more and more, so keep it up. I hope to have an update daily, be we'll see what happens. I suppose I ought to put a disclaimer somewhere in this story (I don't go to work enough to be able to pay for the rights to these characters): I don't own any Chrono Trigger characters or any characters of the design of someone else. I do have a few original ones, but they aren't as cool.

It was three weeks before that he came to me to ask for the Epoch. When I told him it would take a couple months, I wasn't kidding, but something was motivating us to do the job quickly. As we worked on the Epoch, I began to think about what I was doing with my life.

I was bored. There isn't much else to say, really. It had been ages since I had seen either Crono or Marle. Even my projects were getting boring to me. This single project had been the most productive and interesting 3 weeks since the defeat of Lavos. I began to think more of Magus, whom had been forced to go to Leene Square day in and day out since the first week ended because of the complex machinery we were dealing with. I began to think that he might be the only way I could ever have another adventure. 

I'm not going to lie to you. I thought of Magus in other ways as well. For the longest time, I was convinced that I was in love with Crono. Why not, being each other's only friend for nearly 10 years will do that to a girl. When he fell in love with Marle, I didn't know what to think. I was certainly happy for them and I've never had any bad feelings towards either of them, but they left a hole in me for the longest time. The night when I kissed Magus, it felt like the hole had begun to fill, and it only felt better after that. I didn't know what it was at the time, but I knew I enjoyed his company a lot more than being alone.

We stood before our creation, the reborn Epoch. On one side of the spectrum, I was excited that we had finished, but on the other end I was sorry for the same reason. 

"Well done." he said, bluntly. I looked at him with a smile, proud of my work.

"And ahead of schedule. I'm very surprised." I was at a loss for words at the moment. I was lucky I got those ones out.

"I'll finally be able to finish my quest. I'm almost afraid of it. I've never been so close. I've worked so hard." he began to mumble to himself. I just looked at him. He looked as he always did, but his voice had a hint of joy that I had never detected before. His eyes showed it to. They looked like those of a boy who is getting the reward for doing his chores. "I suppose I'll leave tomorrow morning. There's no sense in leaving tonight."

"Yeah..." I sounded disappointed. The hole felt as if it was growing again. I was going to lose whatever happiness I felt over the last few weeks. It was then that he turned to me.

"Would you like to go to Leene's Square." he asked me. I couldn't understand why he wanted to go. He hated it there, especially after dusk. He would go on about how it was so boring there and there were too many people. He hated people, to put it bluntly. There were only a select few he could truly tolerate. "You know, to celebrate. I'll win you something."

The offer was tempting. I would get to spend our last hours together having fun, well...I would be having fun. I wasn't exactly sure why he wanted to go.

"Alright. Let's go." I said. I was intent on having fun and I was interested in why he wanted to go so bad.

So we went to Leene's Square. I could tell from the moment we stepped through the gate that he didn't want to be there. He had this utterly disgusted look on his face. The music was very loud and cheerful, the lights seemed especially bright. There were many people there, and many attractions. The first one that caught my eye was a sketch artist, doing portraits of couples.

"Magus, let's get a drawing done of ourselves." I wanted something to remember the time we had by. He shrugged, as if saying "Why not" and I dragged him over to the corner where the artist worked.

"How much for a picture?" I asked him. He had a strange look on his face when he saw Magus, I guess he figured Magus wasn't the type of person who liked this sort of thing.

"10 gold pieces. I'll need you each to pose along the wall." he said in a thick accent that I couldn't recognize. Magus leaned on the bricks, holding his chin in his right hand. It was his "I'm too cool to be enjoying this" pose. I got under his right arm and put my left around him. I could tell he felt uncomfortable. I thought it was hilarious. After 7 or 8 minutes, he finished and I quickly ran over to see it.

"Wow. That's really good." There wasn't much about the artistry that I liked, it was the scene. I could have stayed there forever. He didn't enjoy the procedure that much, but endured it. 

"Thanks. Go to Norstien Bekkler's tent to get a copy of that made." he said. Magus seemed to react to the comment.

"Alright." he said to me. "You head over to the theatre area while I get this copied." he said. I was surprised how eager he was, but I was having to much fun to be suspicious of it. I ran over to the theatre area and got us two seats. I waited for a few minutes. I didn't think it would take too long to get the copy, but the show almost started without him. It was a story set around the middle ages. I was somewhat nervous. Should the play contain some content about him which he disliked, I didn't know how he'd react. Thankfully, it didn't even mention him. After the play, we headed back. We were very tired, and he wanted to get an early start in the morning. Before we went inside, I stopped.

"Magus.." I said, almost inaudible, but he heard it.

"Yes." he said, a little surprised.

"I want to go with you tomorrow." It just fell out. I thought it would take me forever to say it. He looked at me strangely, like I had said something I shouldn't have.

"What?! Why?" he almost sounded dumbfounded by my request.

"I need to get out of here. I need another adventure. I've been bored out of my mind. I haven't seen any of my other friends for nearly 7 months. I need to do something with someone again. I know what you're going to do....." he stopped me as I said those last words.

"No, you have no idea what I have to do. I'm going to do things that I know you wouldn't want me to do. It may be fun and rewarding at first, but I swear to you that if you go, you won't be happy at the end. I've never had any intention of the ending happily ever after. This is not something that you should endure."

"What are you going to do?" I asked, wondering what could be so bad.

"I've lived a life of a cold blooded murderer. I've never met anyone strong enough to live a sane life that way. Before you defeated me in my castle, I was on the brink of madness. The death of Lavos was the first step of my seemingly endless repentance. My quest is that of repent. I'm paying back for my sins. Many things will be done along the road. I don't think you want to be a part of something so depressing." as he spoke, I could see the pain swell from within his heart. The pain of a thousand murders. The pain of a torture and curses. The pain of someone lost. He came close to crying when he thought of what he did. I'm not sure why he felt sorry now after years and years of it, but it was evident. He wanted Magus to die and Janus to be born again.

"I want to help you. Let me help you." I took his hands in mine as I spoke. It was as if I was pleading for him to let me endure his pain with him, as if I could lessen it. He looked at me and nodded. I stared at him for a moment. He smiled at me, then kissed me on the forehead. The hole felt as if it had never been there. I was happy, if only for that brief moment. 

*Well, I hope that satisfies you romance fans (4 straight chapters ought to). Soon we'll begin the journey, and the action/adventure portion of this fic (another genre I'm new to) will rear it's ugly, yet hopefully entertaining head. An ally of old will join them (his POV will be the next chapter) and we'll see what Magus has in mind for his repentance. Please, keep reviewing. Don't worry, you fans of the mushy stuff, it'll still be present (to the best of my ability) and you action fans will finally get something out of this fic. PEACE!

Dark Creation


	5. Chapter 5: Frog

Chapter 5: Frog

When they arrived at my door, my initial reaction was to shun them out, but when I looked past my dire hatred of Magus, I could see Lady Lucca with him. I could not be rude to a lady, a lady I was friends with, even if she traveled with my hated enemy. 

"Lady Lucca! Wouldst thou come in. I suppose Magus is welcome, so long as you keep him on whatever leash you have around his neck." The Lady smiled, but Magus gave me a bitter look. He seemed to have changed, but I still hated him.

They sat came inside. Lucca sat at my table, while Magus stood in the corner, brooding. I sat across from her. 

"Hi, Frog! How've you been?" she asked me, with the same cheerfulness as when we last spoke.

"I have been fine. May I inquire how you have been." I asked her, trying to speak in straight English. I have been told many a time to repeat myself.

"I've been okay, I guess." she seemed a bit sad when she gave her reply.

"What hast brought thee here, milady. It hast been a while since I had visitors, as you may have suspected." I was curious as to why she came harboring Magus. I had no problem with Lucca, but Magus was a different story.

"Well, it's quite a long story, one that Magus will tell you, right??" she said sternly. She wasn't going to ask me to help for him. He stepped out of the corner. In the light, I could definitely see something different about him. It appeared that much of the hate and sorrow in his heart had been taken away.

I was surprised with what happened next, and so was Lucca. He placed a small, silver egg on the table. We stared at it for a moment, but we already knew what it was.

"How did you get this? I thought the old man said that no more existed." I asked him, suspiciously.

"How do you think I got it. I made it. Being one of history's greatest wizards does have it's advantages, like working faster than an 80 year old man on certain projects that require great strength and stamina. I've been working on that for 5 years. I have also discovered some other things that are of interest. I hit a snag, however. I was sent to 1000 A.D. Lucca here helped me fix the time machine and asked to join me. Once I figured out a spell to make gates, which I'm pretty close to, I was going to come here. I was lucky I was sent to 1000 A.D. I also have something else to go with this." He looked at me for a moment. I couldn't understand what he was getting to. I could hardly believe what was sitting right in front of me!

"What Magus?! What couldst thou possibly have to use with this?" I asked, getting somewhat excited.

"I spent much of my time in 1000 A.D. at Leene Square. After amassing 2500 silver points playing those stupid games, I managed to convince Bekkler to create a clone. I don't think I have to tell you of who it is." I couldn't believe my ears! It was apparent that Lucca couldn't either. The wizard just smiled at us. "Lucca, could you go start the time machine, I need to speak with him alone." the fiend said. Lucca was skeptical about leaving, but she did so. She seemed to trust Magus greatly.

"What do you want to talk about?" I asked him.

"Listen. I need your help with something, and before you ask, it isn't about killing anyone. I need the Masamune, or at least your using of it. There is a task in 12,000 B.C. that requires that particular sword's power. If you come with us, then you'll be there when Cyrus gets a second chance at life. What I'm asking is more than reasonable." he said. I was very tempted by the offer. It would be good to see my friend again, even in the form I was currently in.

"Alright, Magus. I'll go with you, but I do not wish to see my friend in my current form." I reluctantly accepted.

"I can't do anything about that now. Only after I find Schala, can your curse be lifted." He said as he snatched the time egg from the table.

I hated the idea of travelling with him again, but I thought that the sight of my friend would be worth it. Besides, it seemed he had changed. He almost sounded excited when he spoke of reviving Cyrus, which I never thought he would engineer. The one thing that bothered me most, was that I would have to face that image again. My weakness would be seen. I failed Cyrus before, but never again.......

*I know this one is short (sorry), I'll post another before the night is done. I just needed to introduce Frog, and as you know by now, Cyrus is going to come into play (I wonder how he's going to react.), as well as a few other people from Magus' past. I want to thank everyone who have review so far (20 reviews in 4 chapter/6000 + words) and keep'em coming. The next chapter is gonna be the scaling of death peak and a little twist in the romantic side of the fic. Til next time, Adieu!

Dark Creation


	6. Chapter 6: Magus

Chapter 6: Magus

It wasn't exactly pleasant, but we had a group going. After he agreed, he hitched up into the Epoch and headed to 12,000 B.C.

Now, I could have let Cyrus stay dead, and in all honesty, it was tempting. I wanted Schala back so bad, and I was so close, I could practically feel her in my arms, hugging me again. I thought I'd never feel that again, even if I did find her. I couldn't tell her who I was without repenting for my sins. Cyrus' death was one of those sins, so we headed for Death Peak.

Death Peak itself is a marvel of nature. It reminded me of the Earth in Zeal. It was the only place in 2300 A.D. which went unchanged. The keeper's dome still stood, Belthasar was still dead, the Nu still slept. I suppose that not everything can be changed. We used the enertron in the keeper's dome before we headed out.

I loved Death Peak. It forced me to use all the strength I had, physically and mentally. I didn't dare fly in the open, the winds were much too strong. I spent much of the time at the base of the mountain helping Lucca, who hated the cold. I didn't blame her, I knew many Zealians of the fire element who couldn't take it down below. As I helped her, she smiled to me. This time, though, the sharp pain in my heart was absent. 

We decided to set up camp inside a cave in the mountain. The snow was falling too heavily and it was getting too cold out, even for me. We all sat around a fire. Frog went to sleep early, stating that the less he could see of me, the better. Lucca was reading a book on machinery. I was thinking about Lucca. I couldn't get her out of my head. I didn't want to get her out of my head. It was then when I gave the notion that I actually loved her some serious consideration.

"Lucca." I asked timidly, love was a strange subject for me.

"Yes." she looked up at me as she replied. I smiled at the sight of her. 

"May I ask you a question." I looked down at the cave floor. I was so nervous.

"Yes, of course. Go right a head." I looked at her, trying to piece together what I would say next.

"What would you think if someone told you that they loved you, even to the point where they would die for you?" I asked her, remembering the question she asked me.

"I don't know. I've never really thought about it." She leaned in closer to me. I gulped. I didn't know what to say next. "What would you say if someone told you they loved you so much, that they would follow you to the end of the world and jump off, just to be with you." she asked me, inching closer to me. I could feel my heart beating. Her voice slowed a bit as she spoke.

"Lucca." my voice quivered.

"Magus." her voice became softer.

"I love you." we said in unison. I never thought it would be that easy. I felt as though nothing else mattered. We were face to face, less than an inch apart. I let my impulses take over. I kissed her. I kissed her with a passion that I never knew was inside of me. The warmth inside me grew as she kissed back. That moment was frozen in time. What was seconds felt like minutes. I didn't know what to think. I hadn't felt this good in a long time. She looked at me and smiled again, I smiled back. We held each other for the rest of the night.

Of all places to realize your passion for someone, Death Peak was the last place you wanted to do it. Something was always happening to take your mind away from your newfound interests. If it had been any other place, I could have savored it, but here you could only have a taste before you went back to work.

When we left the cave, we found a group of beasts fighting over the carcass of what appeared to be a long dead mountain climber. There were only rags and bits of flesh left on the body. The monsters could smell us. They could feel us. We were warm, fresh meat. We couldn't get by without going through these creatures, so without warning, I charged in, waving my scythe, striking anything in the vicinity. I cried out in bloodlust as the group of twelve, cut down to nine after my rampage, focused their attention on me. I used a Dark Mist spell, but these creatures seemed nourished by it. I was lucky I was travelling with someone. As two of them began to close in, they were knocked away by bright balls of energy. I looked behind me and Lucca was there, firing wildly at the beasts. At first I was happy, but I noticed three more were coming from behind her. I almost cried out to her, but then I saw Frog tackle one as he drove his sword through it. I turned my attention to the 7 in front of me. I charged again. This time, however, they were ready. Despite cover fire from Lucca picking of two, and my own scythe taking out two more, they were ready while I recovered from my attack. They lunged and drove their curved horns into my ribs. I was knocked back two or three feet when another one hit me from the side. My head fell right in front of the third one. It opened it's mouth to reveal it's razor sharp teeth. It lunged for the kill, but I rolled away. It was fast for what appeared to be a scavenger and was back on me. Before I could move again, if came down on me, but before it was able to put significant power on the bite, Lucca used a fire spell to scare it off. She ran over to me. Her gun had lost it's energy and needed time to recharge. Frog was still busy was the last of the three that snuck behind Lucca. I remembered that my shadow spell healed them, so I tried the lightening 2 spell. As each bolt hit, they dropped like flies. I smiled that smile. The smile that said I was still the most feared being alive. 

"What werest thou trying to do, commit suicide?" Frog was agitated by my not so stealthily assault.

"I have to agree with him on this one. We could have waited them out, or picked them off from a distance." Lucca added. I decided I wasn't going to be wrong on this one.

"Hmph. How was I supposed to know they were of the shadow element? If they hadn't been, the situation would have been under control."

"So you attack a dozen large creatures you know nothing about other than they have big horns, sharp teeth, and a taste for flesh." She added in, I knew she was a little angry at my recklessness.

"They would have charged us anyways, they knew we were here. Please, I think I know a thing or two about battle, considering I did wage a fairly successful campaign against the strongest nation in the world with few supplies and few motivated troops." I would have the final say on this one, it was my field of expertise.

It was strange. That was our first real argument. It's funny. It didn't happen until after we both learned that we were in love with each other. Anyways, we made our way up to the summit. The tree, the rocks, everything was still there. The two of them looked at me. I took the time egg out of my pocket.

"Time to see if this thing works. To repent sins and mend painful memories, bring us to Cyrus!!" I threw the Chrono trigger into the air. The moon was high that night. It shattered as it fell in front of the full moon. I looked around, Lucca and Frog were silent, but they knew what was to happen next.

It felt strange going back. With the incident with Lavos, it was so recent, there was nothing to think about. This was 15 years prior, I saw things I didn't want to remember. I saw Cyrus on his knees, trying to get who is now Frog to leave, but he wouldn't.

"Such a painful memory. For both of us, I assume." Frog said to me. I simply nodded in agreement. I got out the clone. I grabbed the real body and through it through the portal and placed the clone where it had once lain. I was the last one to leave, but before I did, I bid one final farewell to the Magus of old, and stepped out of the portal.

*How was that. I hope this makes up for the last chapter, which I know was kinda crummy. How bout that kiss, eh? There's more where that came from. We've got our first signs of the action adventure and the first little tiff between Magus and Lucca. Please read and review!!! PEACE!!!

Dark Creation

P.S. There are a few fics which are great reads if you love Lucca/Magus fics. Mine's just the newest of a number of great fics, here is a list of some must reads:

Just Hungry by Sailor Leo

Never Ever in a Million Years by Yuffie-Girl

Ice Rain by Nova Strike (Not exactly a L/M but I like it)

Epokku no Ummei by Wariu Nekochan (One of the first and best Lucca/Magus fics ever)


	7. Chpater 7: Cyrus

Chapter 7: Cyrus

*First things first, I left out one story from a list I put up on my last update. I don't know why I forgot it, it's one of my favorites.

Cats, Hair and Good Evil Wizards By Imania

With that said, on with the show.

It had been dark. I one hand, it had seemed like an eternity, in the other, it felt like not a moment had passed. My eyes opened slowly. I could see three figures in an endless mass of white. The first to come into focus was a girl, with a helmet with spectacles attached. The next seemed like a mystic, until I noticed it was more of a giant frog. He had that same scabbard attached to his waist. I recognized it from when I held it. I knew it was the Masamune, despite the fact that I had seen it broken in two by Magus' magic. The third figure, far in the background, was a darker figure. As my vision returned, I recognized him quickly.

"Magus!!" I shouted as I charged him, unarmed. He made no attempt to move or shield himself as I charged. I hit him with great force and knocked him to the ground. I only got a few hits in before the other two pulled me off of him. He got up slowly, holding his ribs as he wiped the blood from his lip. I wanted to tear him apart. One of the others spoke.

"Cyrus, please!" I recognized the voice, I looked at him with great shock. I gave up my attack on Magus.

"Glenn!? Is that you?!" I asked him, he nodded. "What happened? How did you end up like this, and how was the Masamune fixed, it looks as if it were never broken." my old friend looked down at his feet before he spoke.

"That night, on the Denadaro Mountains, thou werest killed. I couldn't do as thou asked, I stayed. Ozzie urged Magus to cast some horrible curse upon me, and he did." I glared at Magus. His back was turned, he was looking down. I hated him even more, but somehow, I felt as if I already knew what had happened.

"Glenn, why is he here? How am I here? Who is she?" I was getting excited, emotional, I didn't understand anything.

"Cyrus, please, relax. I'll explain everything to you." the young girl said to me. She seemed very kind and trustworthy. "My name is Lucca. We're on Death Peak in the year 2300 A.D...."

"What!?! How can that be possible." I interrupted. 

"We'll get to that. We came here in a time machine after Magus came to my time of 1000 A.D. He had already made an item in which we used to bring you back, the Chrono trigger. He had a clone made of you by Norstein Bekkler, a sort of mad scientist. We went to ask ..Fro...um Glenn to join us. Then we scaled the peak to go to the very instant in time when you died. We replaced your body with the clone and here you are. You actually have Magus to thank for your resurrection, he engineered it all." The girl, who was apparently very bright, finished telling me of what had happened, sort of. I still didn't know how they had become acquaintances in the first place. It looked as if the sun was coming down. Magus turned to us and spoke.

"Save your thanks, Cyrus." he said to me as if I owed him as much. "We've got to set up camp, we aren't going to go down the mountain in the dark." so we set up camp. We got a shelter up and a fire going. Once the night sky had come into view, Miss Lucca began to tell me of a grand adventure, involving her, a boy, a princess, a cave woman, Glenn, Magus, his sister and mother, a grand kingdom in the sky, and of the creature Lavos, whom Magus had devoted his life to destroying. It was an enchanting tale, which helped me understand some things. I had notice, about half-way through the story, that Glenn and Magus had left. When Lucca was finished with her story, I followed them to the peak. I overheard somethings being said.

"They'll be fine. I just don't want anyone involved that doesn't have to be." Magus said.

"I still don't understand why I have to come?" Glenn replied.

"I need the Masamune, and you're it's bearer. I did this favor for you, now do this one for me, or if not for me, than for Schala." the name of his sister. Lucca had told me he loved her greatly. She seemed like a nice enough person from what Lucca and Glenn described to me, it was a great irony that someone so pure would be the sister to the incarnation of darkness. "We're going to make a stop, first. I need to speak with someone on the matter of swords."

"Not him. Isn't he dead yet?"

"He's not dead and I need to know something before we continue. Now, let's go to bed, we're leaving early tomorrow." Magus said as they headed back to the shelter.

The next morning, I woke up and saw Miss Lucca sleeping. I got out of the shelter. I no one was at the campsite. There was a note near the ring of stones.

Lucca,

I'm sorry to leave you, but I have no choice. If I have to do what I think I'm going to have to do, I don't want you there, it would only hurt more. Glenn is with me. We've left Cyrus a weapon. I know you're going to want to follow us, so I'll give you some clues as to where we're going. You'll have the Epoch, I've perfected my time travel spell. First, we're going to visit a famous swordsman in 600 A.D. If you choose to follow, which I know you will, there will be further instructions at the swordsman's hut. I'm very sorry, Lucca. Goodbye

Magus

It was quite apparent that I read something that wasn't mine to read. I quickly ran into the shelter to wake Lucca. I gave her the note.

"Holy shit!!! Okay, ummm. Famous swordsman. 600 A.D. Uhhhh, jeez. Are there any other famous swordsmen in the Guardia Military in 600 A.D.?" she asked. I shook my head. "Alright, then who? Wait a minute, Magus wouldn't visit a human swordsman. That means, Slash!!! We got to get to the time machine. Magus wouldn't waste time going down the mountain, he'd go right to 600 A.D. Oh dammit! Do you know where Slash lives?" she asked me.

"If he still lives in the same place, than I know where he lives." I replied. I had fought Sir Slash in his home 6 months before my death. Despite his being a mystic, it was a very honorable battle. He was a great swordsman, as well as a marvelous swordsmith. Lucca left the shelter up and raced down the mountain. Not knowing the way, I followed suit. 

After 2 hours, we made it down the mountain. I found myself in front of a strange contraption. She jumped in.

"C'mon!! Don't you want to get there before they leave!" She hollered to me. I jumped in, not knowing what to expect. She push some strange button, and soon we were in mid-air. I looked at her, she was intent on finding Magus, and if I was any kind of knight, I would do everything in my power to help her.

*I hope you like that chapter. I know this one was short. Magus has left with Glenn to find Slash, for what, you'll find out, next chapter. Keep up the great reviews, I love you guys. I'm sorry this one's short. I'll make it up to you in a super weekend chapter rush, promise. SEE YA!!

  
Dark Creation


	8. Chapter 8: Magus

Chapter 8: Magus

*Yes, I know I'm doing two Magus chapters in succession without a Lucca between them (I've gone M-L-M-L-F-M-C-M), but trust me, this with all even out in the end. By the way, thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far and to whomever put me on their favorites list! It's that kind of encouragement that all writers should get, but I'm lucky enough to have. Thanks again.*

Slash's home was a little to cozy for my tastes, but he liked it. As you may have guessed, Slash lived alone, and still does. He's is a master swordsman and a great appreciator of fine crafted swords. I needed information on one that I had encountered before I was sent to 1000 A.D. It was all black, and was a katana, like the Slasher, so I figured Slash would have some information about it, somewhere in his one room hut. He had a couple practice dummies in his yard, which were pretty well worn and obviously repaired. We were in the middle of a thick woodland when we came upon his home. He was practicing in the yard. I told Frog that I would handle talking to Slash. 

Out of my three former henchmen, Slash was the one I respected the most. He held an air of honor and pride which Ozzie and Flea lacked in greatly. Slash would never let me, or anyone else, help him if he was fighting one on one, even when he fought Cyrus, a fight which I was surprised he survived. Slash was never too bright, but when it came to swords, no one knew more. 

"You're still here. I figured you would've moved once the humans learned of where you lived, you oversized imp." Slash was a close friend, and even though I faced him in battle 5 years earlier, I still considered out relationship close.

"What do you want, Magus. Care to taunt us mystics some more?" it quickly became apparent that Slash didn't think as I did.

"Far from it, my friend. I actually have come to ask you about a sword."

"What do you want to know about swords, you hate swords." He said to me.

"I need to identify a magical sword I came upon in my travels. A katana, do you still have that book?" I inquired about an ancient mystic book which Slash had owned before joining Ozzie in his ego crusade.

"I've got it somewhere, come inside." He said, suspiciously. I followed him into his hut. It was somewhat more organized that what I remembered. He had a bookshelf with only one row of books, the rest of the shelves were storage places for his vast collection of rare swords. Slash was a sword nut, that's all he ever thought about. He approached the book shelf and skimmed through the spines of the 10 books upon it. He picked one out. I had a black cover with the mystic symbol, in red, printed on the front. It was ancient. It was written in Ancient Mystic, a language which I didn't exactly take the time to learn in my 20 years in mystic service. Slash knew it well. It had illustrations in it, to help identify the swords. I skimmed through until I saw it.

"This is the sword, Slash." his eyes widened. I had never seen him so excited. He looked at me for a moment in disbelief.

"Surely you jest, Magus. You mean to tell me that you know the location of the Murasame!" he was like a little boy who had found a bit of candy. 

"Yes, this is the sword."

"Magus, this is one of the most powerful swords ever created. There were 5 magic swords created in ancient times, all of great power. The first was the Excaliber, a holy sword used to ward off ancient mystic ancestors, known as the fiends. The next was the Ragnarok, a sword of destruction held by an evil warlord. After those two were lost in a great battle, someone forged the Einlanzer, a holy dragon sword that rivaled the power of the Excaliber. The fourth was the Murasame, the only legendary sword of mystic origins. It's power was unrivaled among katanas and was used to fight the humans who carried the Einlanzer. Both were lost, but the Einlanzer was found in the El Nido Archipelago a few years back. The last, and most powerful, as you may know is the Masamune." I wasn't exactly looking for a history lesson, but Slash said something that piqued my interest.

"You said the Einlanzer was found in El Nido? That's were I saw the Murasame. So that's got to be it. What magical properties does the Muramasa have?" I asked, becoming more curious about this obstacle with each moment.

"The Murasame is a sword with two embodied spirits, Mura and Same. Much like the Masamune, only these spirits aren't as advanced and powerful. It was said that this sword could completely erase a enemy from a battle, but only a mystic could wield it. If a human touched it, they would be drawn into a dark portal, never seen again."

"You mean a time gate. That's how I returned to 1000 A.D. I attempted to remove the sword from it's resting place because it kept a magical field up around a cave I was trying to enter, the next moment, I was in Truce circa 1000 A.D. Does the book speak of a magical field?"

"Yes. It says the field is kept up by the spirits of the sword, and even a mystic wielder of the sword couldn't bring it down. Only the Masamune is said to have to power to do so." I was right, I knew I would need the sword. "Magus, I need to ask you something. Why do you mention going to 1000 A.D? You can just move 400 years into the future." 

"Slash, I'll explain it to you some other time. I've got to go." I started to head out.

"Wait, Magus! You'll need me. You need a mystic to remove the sword or else the field will never go down, besides, it will be the masterpiece of my collection. My ancestors forged that sword." He followed. Whether I said anything or not wouldn't have made a difference. I called Frog from the forest. Slash was surprised at first, but he figured I'd have had to have the Masamune in one way or another to even thing about getting past the Murasame. I tore open a gate. Slash was a little surprised.

"Magus, what is this."

"You know those portals the Murasame pushes humans through when they touch it?" Slash nodded. I smiled and pushed him in. He screamed as Frog and I jumped in, but not before I left a note for Lucca. I knew she was following me, and Cyrus was probably with her.

We landed in 12,000 B.C. Slash was startled by what had just happened. We trudged through the snow for 15 minutes, when we found a cave we could use as shelter. Night would fall very soon, and night in the dark ages is impossible to survive, even for a master wizard.

I made a fire in the cave and we ate some rations. During the whole time, I couldn't help but think about Lucca. I told her I loved her, but the next day, I left her on Death Peak. I felt horrible. I wanted to be with her again. I wanted to be able to hold her as I did on the mountain. I wanted to do so much with her, but if things went the way I planned, I wouldn't see her again. Thinking about that caused me even more pain. I suppose I let some of the pain out, because Slash seemed to sense it.

"What's the matter, Magus. You don't look that good." he probably wouldn't understand, but I told him anyway.

"Slash, I found my soulmate. She's beautiful, intelligent and she cares about me. Now, I'm here, on the verge of never seeing her again. I left her for something I must do, but I don't want to leave her, and all these feelings are getting all mixed up and...." I paused for a moment to look at Slash, who was absolutely horrified. I suppose he never expected me to say anything like that. His eyes were wide open. After a few seconds, he had the absolute stupidest grin on his face.

"You mean to tell me that you, the scourge of the human race, destroyer of all that oppose him and the most cold blooded, heartless being in the history of the world, has fallen in love..... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ............AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Slash bowled over laughing. I felt stupid. Frog looked at me puzzled.

"Magus, might I inquire of whom you speaketh." he asked.

"Fine. You've probably got a hunch." he nodded. "Lucca."

"You mean that purple-haired fire four-eyes!? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA .......... AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!" Slash continued to laugh at me. Frog just looked at me.

"Magus, I understand what thou must feel. Thou art very lucky. Not many would take thee knowing thy past. I must ask, will this be a permanent farewell, because I never agreed to......"

"No, Only I could manage the spell. This trip is only one way for me. You two will return safely. But, when I am gone, don't tell Schala who I was. She is not to know of her brother's death. Tell Lucca and Cyrus as well when they arrive."

"You have a sister." Slash let up on the inane laughter for a few moments. "Can I ask one question? Is she as mean and nasty as you, because if she is, the whole world is screwed! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA-OW!!!" I punched him in the head as I retreated into the cave. I never should have brought it up. 

"Thou art lucky *I* do not strike thee upon thy head, with the Masamune! Lady Schala was a kind a loving woman who suffered a tragic fate. Thou should be ashamed." I don't think Slash was ashamed as much as he was afraid that I'd kill him should he insult Schala again, but he shut up the rest of the night. I went to sleep, feeling worse and worse as we traveled, but what I would do must be done.


	9. Chapter 9: The Entity

Chapter 9: The Entity

*Nova Strike was somewhat inspiration for the Murasame (from Ice Rain, if you don't know what I mean, go read.) but Mura and Same have a different roll and I needed another set of twins, but that would mean there are two Masa's and my head will start to hurt as I write. Thanks for the great reviews, and Kit Thespian, I can't promise anything, a good author is like a good magician, they don't give away their secrets. I usually save my sad stuff for DBZ, but, I might sneak one over to CT. You'll just have to read to find out.*

With Cyrus' help, Lucca found the home of Slash. They were nowhere in sight. Lucca was frustrated, but then she found a small piece of paper stuck in one of Slash's practice dummies.

Lucca

I knew you'd follow me. I was hoping you would. Anyway, this one's going to be a little harder to do, we don't want you catching up. Here's the clue. At a time of snow and ice, in the Islands of Dragons, we journey to the sea of the dead to come upon the resting place of a mighty sword. That's enough. I'm sorry Lucca, but if you're there, you'll try to stop me and I have to do this. I love you.

Magus

Lucca was positively befuddled. She had no idea about "Islands of Dragons" or a "sea of the dead". She gave the note to Cyrus, trying to see if he knew what to do.

"Hmmm. A ha! El Nido. There were once 7 dragons that lived in that island chain. I've heard many legends about it. Sea of the Dead, I that has to be the Dead Sea." Cyrus read the last part of the note. "Do you love him?"

Lucca was surprised by the question, but she nodded. Cyrus looked down at the paper.

"Then I am happy for you, but if my own intuition is correct, he plans to leave this world. If we do not hurry, he will." Cyrus said as they jumped into the epoch. Lucca followed and set the controls for circa 12,000 B.C.

"Magus! It's cold in here!!!" Slash shouted.

"Shut up! We're almost there." The cave was long and deep. The three had some trouble finding a boat, for the dead sea has it's name for a reason. The journey was a long one. One that found Slash, Frog and Magus a lot of time to ponder some things.

"Why art thou going to end thy life? What dost thou hope to accomplish?" Frog asked. Magus looked at him coldly for a moment.

"Hmph. The last time I was here, I was told a tale of a young boy, a young girl, and a cat-man. They fought through different dimensions. In the end, the cat-man was FATE, a mechanical goddess created by humans far in the future. After FATE's demise, another deity, the Dragon God, appeared to wreak havoc. At the dragon's death, the boy learned of the Dragon God's true identity. You see, despite his seemingly animal nature, Lavos was a beast filled with hatred, especially after we killed it. It clung to life and fused with my sister to become the Time Devourer. The boy used a magic called the Chrono Cross to free Schala and destroy Lavos forever. I was also told that I was also on this journey, disguised as a masked magician. When Schala was freed, the coldness of Lavos clung to her and kept her enclosed in a block of ice, un able to be melted by even the temperatures of the sun. Only the power of a human spirit is given can the ice be melted. I have created a spell to do just that. It will harness my spirit into a flame, which I will use to save Schala. Once the fire stops burning, my spirit will have faded." as he said that, he produced a blue flame. It was quite large. He took off his glove and touched it. "It's only lukewarm, but it's going to do the job."

"Magus, who told you this tale?" Slash asked.

"At first I wasn't sure, but I realize now that it must have been Mura and Same. There were two different voices, and they seemed to be of the same origins and Masa and Mune." Suddenly, the twins erupted out of the Masamune.

"Mura and Same! YAY!!!!! We're going to see our cousins! We're going to see our cousins!" The twins danced about the boat. Magus looked at them awkwardly. Slash's eyes almost popped out of his head. Frog just glanced at them. "Hey! Magus! Did they mention us at all?"

"As a matter of fact, they did. They said they were ashamed that their own kin could be so easily turned away from the side of light." he shot at them. Masa and Mune looked a little confused. "They said you become a sword of Evil, which gets two great warriors killed."

"Oh. We're sorry." Mune said.

"Wait a minute, we haven't done anything yet! Don't apologize until we've done something, that way, no one will know it occurred ever if we don't do it..oh no getting dizzy. What did I just say, Mune?"

"Beats me, but we aren't going to be an evil sword, are we Masa?"

"Nope. We're gonna be with Frog and all his kid....well, we may have to find a new master after Frog...."

"GET BACK IN THE SWORD!!!!" Frog shouted at the twins.

Soon they arrived at the Dead Sea. The group stared at the opening in the rock. Frog and Slash looked at Magus. He nodded and jumped in the water. They followed suit and the three headed toward the cave of the Murasame.

*I hate omnicient POVs(they know too much), but I did one and I'm gonna do a few more for this story. I'm gonna have another LuMa but it's gonna be different. To give you a hint of the plot, the title is going to be "The Prophet's Apprentice" and I hope you'll read and review that one like you have this one. I'm sorry again that this chapter is short, but the next one will make up for it. There's gonna be some crying and sadness in it, but there's gonna be some happy stuff too. Frog's gonna be Glenn again!!!! You'll see how in the next chapter. Oh no, I've given too much away!!!! PEACE!!!


	10. Chapter 10: Lucca

Chapter 10: Lucca

*Okay, first off, Thank you, Sailor Leo, for your constructive criticism. I'm going to clarify your questions in this chapter, so please, bear with me. And don't worry, I refuse to be crowned "The Undisputed King of LuMa Corniness" with such an atrocity as a resurrection by kiss. No offense to the makers of The Matrix, but that, I agree, is very stupid.

We arrived at the Dead Sea. It was a cold, barren sea, in which I despise very much, even to this day. I noticed a boat tied down near a small cave. The water was still, even around the boat. It sent a chill down my spine. We seemed to be waved down by someone. He seemed very familiar and her was holding a black sword. After a few moments, I realized it was Slash. We landed in the small area of land surrounding the cave. 

"What are you doing here?" Cyrus demanded. Slash looked at him for a moment before chuckling a bit.

"Cyrus! I didn't know you had been brought back, but, I'm not here to cause any trouble." Slash seemed somewhat amused.

"Where's Magus, Slash?" I asked him, with as serious a tone as I have ever used. I wanted to find him.

"Keep your pants on. Jeez, you get excited quick. He's inside. He said he's got to kill himself to resurrect his sister..."

"That's what he's doing!" Cyrus said in alarm. I don't think he ever though Magus would give his life for someone else.

"Yeah, he said that he kept leaving you those notes because he thought you would try to stop him."

"Then why did he leave those clues!?" I was somewhat enraged, I didn't like the idea that I was being toyed with.

"Ho ho! I'm gettin to that. He said he left the notes because there could be a way of keeping him from dying. He said the process of death is slow, but it can be reverse if the spirit is strong enough and has the will. You're gonna need to ask the spirits about that one."

"Spirits?" I asked.

"Yeah. Masa, Mune, Mura and Same. The spirits of the swords. He said they'd be the ones who'd know how to do it."

"Okay, the we've got to hurry. You coming, or are you going to stay out here?"

"I'm obliged to come. Can't leave the spirits of my new sword in the hands you guys. It wouldn't be fair to the sword." Slash said as we headed into the cave.

The cave was a long, sinuous tunnel. In many placed, it was quite beautiful. The Stalactites and Stalagmites had an eerily beautiful glow. The shimmer of the rock shown in this cave extremely well. The trip through gave me time to think about things. I knew Magus would have already given his life, he wouldn't hesitate. Would we have time to revive him. I could see why he wouldn't want there the moment he did it. I probably WOULD have tried to stop him. Knowing my luck, I would have done something that would have cost him his life anyway and we wouldn't have saved Schala. 

I noticed a light after a few minutes into the cave. I knew that was where he was. Don't ask me how. Women's intuition, I guess. I ran towards it. It was difficult for Slash and Cyrus to follow, given their larger size and the fact the Cyrus was wearing an incredibly heavy suit of armor. When I arrived I saw three figures. The first was conscious, and appeared to be taking care of the other two. Frog. The other two were easily identifiable. The first was Schala. She hadn't woken up quite yet. The other was Magus, whom if I didn't help, he would never wake up. As I took my first step towards them, four imp-like figures appeared around them. They wore the same color tunic, but each had different color collars. The two I recognized were Masa and Mune, with the blue and green collars, respectively. The others, in the yellow and red collars, I didn't quite know, but they only could have been Mura and Same.

"Lady Lucca!" Frog called to me.

"Frog!! Is he dead?" that was my main concern.

"No, he's just holding on. It hast been some time since he freed Miss Schala from her icy prison. Magus spoke of the spirits knowing away to revive him." Frog said as he looked to the spirit children.

"Indeed, we have." they said in unison. It was eerie the way they spoke. "We four can take three to the spirit world. There, many spirits will try to take your souls, which will be vulnerable while in the spirit world. His spirit has lost it's will to stay with the body. One may speak with him. One may be given the chance to persuade him to fight. Even if you do, his fight may be futile, and you may only watch from out here." as they finished speaking, I realized what they spoke of. Magus's soul had lost sight of what he needed to fight for, when he sacrificed most of it to free Schala.

"Who may go?" I asked them.

"The holder of the Masamune. The Bearer of the Murasame. They are needed to stay in the spirit world and to fight. The last must be someone who he cares deeply for, and cares for him as well. His soul is weak and will be difficult to convince to return if a effort cannot be made on both sides." the spirits spoke.

"Alright. Frog, Slash. Are you ready?" I asked them.

"Hold, one moment." Frog said as he approached Cyrus. "Cyrus, my friend. Thou must watch over Lady Schala. She will need someone to stay with her, but do not speaketh of her brother's identity. He wished it to remain secret. Til we meet again, Cyrus." Frog smiled. Cyrus smiled back.

"Til we meet again." Cyrus said.

We stood between the four twins who began a strange ritual. They danced around us. Slash and Frog held their weapons, ready for battle. I stood between them, not knowing what would be next.

In an instant, we were transported to a strange place. There was not floor, nor ceiling, nor walls. It was an infinite space. It glowed a dark green. There were many dark creatures around. Frog and Slash fought our way through many of them. More would appear behind us as we advanced. Eventually, we found Magus. His crumpled form was being attacked by one of the creatures. Frog and Slash quickly killed the beast and tore the body off Magus. Frog and Slash stood guard as I tried to talk to Magus.

"Magus.........Magus........MAGUS!!!" no answer. He groaned slightly. He moved a bit. I kept calling his name, hoping it would bring him around. His spirit flickered. In and out of view is went. After a few moments it got the strength to speak.

"..........W..Who......" it said.

"It's me, Lucca! Come on, Magus. Fight!"

".......Lu.......Lucca.......wh.....why.....are....y..you....h...he.....here?"

"I'm trying to save you!"

".......Let.....m....me......d....die....."

"No. I don't want that, and YOU don't want that! You want to live. You want to see your sister. You want to be happy!" I tried to convince him. The crumpled form looked at me.

".....H...Ha...Happy?........I......d...do....n..not.......de.....desverve...." I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think. Time was running out. He was fading fast. 

"Magus! Don't leave me!! Think about me!!! Think of how I'll feel!!! Think of my pain!!! If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for me!" I shouted. I couldn't hold it back any longer. It was my last chance. He looked at me then. We stared at each other for the longest time. After a few moments, he broke the silence.

".....L....Leave....m....me......" he said. I couldn't think of anything else. I walked away from him. Slash and Frog's swords began to glow. Before we left, one of the beasts got through. As the tears came down my face, I saw creature lunge.

I had lost hope in the moment. In that single moment, I knew in my mind that I hadn't changed a thing. I left him defenseless in that harsh world. I left my love to die. I couldn't hold myself back, behind the tears. I cried out to him.

"Magus!!!!!!!" and as we left, just as the beast was about to land and make the killing blow, he dodged and struck. It left a look of shock upon my face, but I knew then that he had decided to fight.

*Well. There's that chapter. I know it's kinda Chrono Cross-ish, with Masa and Mune brining them there, but what are you gonna do. And I know you were worried, DON"T YOU TRY AND DENY IT!!!! Just remember, he's not out of the woods yet. He's fighting, but so far he's already got the Petooti kicked out of him, and we don't know if he'll last. Well, I suppose I can reveal Schala's pairing. Someone has already guessed it, but it's Cyrus. It's gonna take a while for Magus to wake up, maybe two or three chapters, and if I can get Magus and Lucca to fall in love in that amount of time, than Schala and Cyrus will be child's play. Thanks for the reviews, compliments and criticisms. Keep'em all coming. PEACE

Dark Creation


	11. Chapter 11: Cyrus

Chapter 11: Cyrus

*Wow! Chapter 10 seems to have been a pretty big success. Thanks to everyone who reviews this story, it means a lot. Well, with that said, on with the show.*

In a flash of red light, they left. Left me to watch over the young lady who was unconscious before me. She was very beautiful. Her skin was a little on the pale side. Her gown was pale violet and she had pale blue hair, much like her brother. I just stared at her for a few minutes, enchanted by her. After a couple minutes, she began to stir. She looked up at me.

".....Wh...who are you?" she asked me. I got up quickly to help her up.

"My name is Sir Cyrus, Miss Schala." I replied.

"How do you know my name?" She seemed a bit flustered.

"I am here to help you, with a group of friends who are trying to revive him." She got her bearings as I spoke, while I pointed to Magus' lifeless form that lay upon the group in front of us.

"The Prophet! Why is he here?" I remembered what Glenn told me of Magus' wishes, so I refrained from telling her his childhood identity.

"He cares for you greatly, milady. He may have given his life to save you."

"I never knew he could be so kind."

"Neither did I?" I agreed with her.

"How did you know of him, sir knight." she asked. I wasn't about to lie, especially to a lady.

"In my time, he was a powerful wizard known as Magus. There, he set out on the destruction of the kingdom I serve, the Kingdom of Guardia. Back then, I was a hero of legendary status. I had taken the Hero's Medal from a great mystic known as the Frog King, which gave me right to bear the Masamune." she seemed somewhat intrigued by my story. "After I claimed the legendary sword at the Denadaro Mountains, I met him upon beginning my decent. It was there that I bore witness to his frightful power. With ease, he broke the Masamune in two. In that moment, I knew my life was over. I didn't try to run, rather, I urged my companion to flee, before Magus could take his life as well. He then ended my life using some powerful, shadow spell."

"How is it that you are here, then, Sir Cyrus?" her eyes widened as I spoke of my death.

"Ironically, I owe that debt to Magus. He brought me back to life. I don't know how or why, but here I am. He left the next day with my friend, Glenn, to save you. Tis a sad tale, his life."

"It is. I'm sorry to be a little rude, but when will we be leaving?" her demeanor left me spellbound. 

"I am to look after you and Magus while my friends try to revive his soul in the spirit world. It could be some time."

"I see."

"If I may ask, Miss Schala, what was your life like?" I wanted to know even more about her. Everything from her beauty, her kindness, her smooth and beautiful movements enchanted my soul.

"I was a princess, in a beautiful kingdom in the clouds. I grew up with my brother and my mother. My father had died soon after my birth. My brother, Janus, was born of another man, a very kind man who took my as his own daughter. He died a few years after my brother's birth. I spent much of my time practicing spells so that I could someday be a great ruler and unite the enlightened and earthbound people. I felt sorry for them, having to live in the harsh wasteland that was the Earth. When I turned 15, the guru of life forged a Pendant for me. It was one of great power. It was the only thing in Zeal that could harness and use the power of the Mammon Machine, which fed from the power of Lavos." I recognized that "Lavos". It was the creature Magus planned to summon. I wondered why such an enlightened people would try to use such an evil power. "I was taken to the undersea palace, where I was forced by my own mother to draw massive amounts of energy from Lavos. My mother had been corrupted and changed by Lavos' power. Magus, the Prophet, urged her on. I didn't know it until he struck, but he planned to kill the monster. He knew it would awaken. He knew everything that would happen. It was there a brave boy died to save his friends. I transported the prophet and the boy's allies outside the palace. I used up my strength doing so, and was unable to save the Gurus and my brother, Janus." I felt so sad for her. The pain she must've felt. I had to console her somehow.

"Miss Schala. I've met with your brother, and he is doing fine. Tis a sad story you've told me. It is hardly believable that such a beautiful and kind young lady would have to endure a fate such as that."

"Thank you, Sir Cyrus. Indeed, Fate must have delt you a cruel hand to end the life of such a selfless and noble warrior." she chuckled a bit. Her laugh was intoxicating. I smiled back at her. Suddenly, the cave began to flash with light. The forms of Lucca, Glenn, Slash, and the children of the swords flickered in and out of view until finally solidifying themselves in this world.

"So, how is he?" I asked. Schala leaned forward, curious of the answer.

"......He's fighting. I don't know if he can do it, but he's trying." Lucca answered. 

"Miss Schala! Thou art awake!" Glenn acknowledged Schala. She smiled to him. Her smile enslaved me to my very soul.

"Yes. I woke to hospitality of this kind knight. He told me of the events leading up to this." She looked at Slash. Slash just glared back.

"I do believe that we should retire to more comfortable arrangements." I said, trying to leave the dank cave for a shelter of more desirable arrangements.

"You're right. Okay, How are we going to do this?" Lucca said to herself.

"Perhaps I may suggest something." Glenn added. Lucca nodded and we listened.

"The Ladies and Magus go first, then Lucca comes back for two of us, then she retrieves the last of us."

"Who shall be last?" I asked.

"I guess I'll do it." Slash volunteered. He seemed to like the cave, anyhow.

"Alright then, let's get started." Lucca said. Glenn and I brought Magus through the cave and placed him in the time machine. Schala sat next to him, with Lucca in the drivers seat.

"We'll wait at my house. You guys wait here. I'll be back." and so she went, and we did as it was planned. 

Never in my life had I met a woman like Schala. I knew from the moment She first spoke to me that my heart was her's to do with as she saw fit. My only question was if she felt the same for me. Time was the only thing that could answer that question.

*Ahh, so Cyrus has fallen head over heels for Schala. Don't worry, I'm not going to make this relationship begin exactly mutual in feelings. Cyrus is gonna have to win her over. And I haven't forgotten that Magus said there would be a note in a small hole in the cave, I'm going to draw attention to that later. Also, there's one thing I wanna say. As you may have noticed, there are a few typos in my story, I apologize for those. I usually don't get a chance to begin writing my chapters until 1:00 in the morning, so I'm usually a little zoned out. After it's through, I'll go through all the chapters and fix the typos to make the final draft of this story. Thanks to everyone who's read and reviews and keep'em all coming (Inflate my already grand ego even more, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!) Keep your eyes peeled for the first installment of "The Prophet's Apprentice" which will be coming by the end of next week. PEACE!!!  


Dark Creation


	12. Chapter 12: Frog

Chapter 12: Frog  
  
*Alright!!! Thank you Yuffie-Girl for the little story promotion. This little clan of LuMa  
authors will soon take FF.net and one day, the world. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!  
Anyways, thanks everybody who reviewed the Prologue to "The Prophet's Apprentice", I  
promise not to let you guys down (I actually hope to do much better on that one, despite  
the omnicient POV. Grrrrrrr, I don't know why I complain, I get to play god, but  
whatever.)  
  
We stayed at Lucca's house, all except Slash. Slash was returned to his own time  
on his request. Lucca's parents were very kind and understanding. Lucca informed them  
on the condition of "Janus" and introduced Cyrus and I. She had very nice parents.  
  
We brought Magus to the guest room to rest. We knew it would take a while for  
him to recover, if he could at all, and Cyrus and I slept upon the floor to relinquish the  
free beds to the wounded and the laides.  
  
I had never seen Cyrus so smitten with a woman before. He was usually very kind  
and gentlemanly, but this was very deliberate behavior. I could tell how he felt for  
Schala, and I was concerned for my friend. Magus was very protective of Schala and he  
wasn't exactly on good terms with Cyrus before he departed. Should Magus have awoken  
and found Cyrus interacting with the beautiful princess in a manner he didn't like, I  
feared that no one could save Cyrus from his wrath.  
  
Where Cyrus was so enchanted, Miss Schala didn't seem to noticed. She  
interacted with Cyrus the way she interacted with everyone. She was very kind, polite,  
and thoughtful. She even offered to go to the inn so as not to impose, but Lucca would  
have none of it.   
  
It was that night, after we returned, that Cyrus told me of his feelings and his  
intentions.  
  
"Glenn."  
  
"Yes, Cyrus?"  
  
"I've....felt strange, as of late." I could see he was trying to ease into it.  
  
"Yes...."  
  
"I've fallen in love with Lady Schala." Cyrus confided to me. It wasn't that big of  
a secret. It could be seen in his face when he looked at her.  
  
"Well...." he'd fallen in love once before, with the Queen, but his love for her got  
him killed. He'd had an affair with the Queen a month earlier, and decided it best for the  
kingdom if he left for a while, so as not to be tempted and cause a scandal during times  
of war. "art thou sure of thy love for her?"  
  
"Yes, Glenn. I love her more than any woman I've ever met. It's not just her  
beauty. Her kindness, her demenor, her spirit. Everything about her is so....perfect."  
  
"Well then, thou should tell her."  
  
"I can't. You remember what happened with Leene. I can't go through that  
again."  
  
"Cyrus, It won't be that way. She is in a position to love, as thou art. My only  
advice is that if thou does declare thy love to her, be wary of the consequences. While  
she may be of a good natured spirit, her brother isn't exactly the same way. He may not  
like the idea of thee, or anyone, being with her."  
  
"Glenn, you know that no man lives that could keep me from accomplishing my  
goals through fear. However, my fear lies in the hands of woman. I do not wish to hurt  
her or be hurt. I've gone through that already. I shall ponder the situation for a little while  
longer before I decide my next action." He said as he laid down to rest. He knows I  
would be there for him in anything he chose to do. Nothing about it seemed strange or of  
an unwelcome nature. Cyrus and Schala were both incredible people to know, in their  
kindness and strength. Cyrus seemed sincere of his feelings for the young lady. The only  
question now was whether or not she enjoyed his company.  
  
  
  
The next day, I headed out to meet Cyrus for some practice when I saw Lucca, with her  
face buried in a pillow, sobbing. I had to attempt to console her.   
  
"Excuse me, Lucca, but may I inquire what thou art crying for." It was somewhat  
of a stupid question. My former nemesis had yet to wake.  
  
"Frog, it's hard, you know.....I mean, he's right there in front of me, wasting  
away. Of everything I know about science and technology, I can't do anything for him.  
He's dying. I can feel his pain, he's struggling to continue and theres......" she couldn't  
finish. I let her cry into my shoulder. I could feel the pain she felt. Only being able to  
watch as a loved one is being ripped away from you.  
  
"Lucca, you're the reason he's fighting. You're the reason he's not already dead.  
You've given him the best chance he could get. The only thing more you can do is pray  
for the best." I tried to make her feel better. She hurt so much, and I knew the pain she  
felt. "Lucca, I pray for his recovery. Of all the things he's done to me, he's done much to  
make amends. At first I couldn't realize why thou loves him, but I can see now. He didn't  
just change. Thou changed him. Thou hast done so much for him, but thou can't do  
everything for him."  
  
It was on that note that I left her. I don't know if my words helped, but I tried.  
Only time would tell if Fate would allow her to be with him again.  
  
*Sorry it's short, it's really hard for me to write Frog. He's too good natured. I need to  
write someone with a little more.....spice in their personality. So now Frog knows of  
Cyrus' love. Lucca's hurtin, but will Magus recover. It's all gonna come out in the next  
chapter. I'll tell you one thing, though, whatever happenes, Magus is gonna take a beatin!  
And yes, I have decided his fate, but you'll have to read the next chapter. Also, there's  
gonna be a Schala chapter soon where Cyrus will finally know if she loves him or not.  
PEACE  
  
Dark Creation 


	13. Chapter 13: The Entity

Chapter 13: The Entity

*Alright, first of all, I want to thank everyone who's reviewed so far. I know my chapters are short and all, but thanks for sticking with me. To answer a review from Kit Thespian, the resurrection by kiss is nice, SOMETIMES, but in it's ability to intensify a romantic situation, it can also kill a story by corniness. I want to thank Sailor Leo for not only continuing with "Just Hungry" but also encouraging me. I want to thank Whining Lunatic Kidd Fan and Nova Strike, possibly my biggest fans (and the feeling is mutual). I want to thank Yuffie-Girl and Imania for writing the fics that make me want to write better. And I want to thank anyone who reads my stories. With that said, here's chapter 13. 

Lucca stayed with Magus through that day. She couldn't leave his side. She placed her head on his chest to hear his breath, to know that he was still alive. She didn't eat the whole day, she just sat next to his body, hoping....and praying.

His condition hadn't changed and everyone feared for the worst. They all handled it in their own way. Schala tried to keep him comfortable and in as good health as she could. Cyrus and Glenn spent their time sparring, keeping themselves from thinking about the worst case scenario. Lucca had difficulty with getting through the days. When he began to fight, she was happy, but it soon wore away when no improvement was made.

Frog and Cyrus practiced on the bridge to the mainland. It reminded them of the days when they fought mystics off Zenan Bridge, the mile long route to the next continent. 

"I'm going to get you, Glenn!" Cyrus exclaimed, charging at his friend, laughing with him. Glenn laughed heartily before dodging the attack.

"Thou shalt have to do better than that, my old friend! Ah hahaha!" he played as he swung his wooden sword. Cyrus parried with his own and tried to fight Frog off, but he was being over powered. Frog brought him down to his knees before breaking free and smacking Cyrus in the ribs. The knight grabbed his torso as he reeled.

"Oww! Why'd you hit so hard!" Cyrus exclaimed, with a big grin on his face. Frog laughed.

"Hehehehe! Thou hast lost thy touch. Thou dost not fight like in the days of old. Something on your mind, like a certain wizard's sister!" Frog teased. Cyrus' grin turned serious.

"Ahh, perhaps you're right, Glenn. I can't get her out of my mind."

"Thou should go to her before it's too late. Many other men would kill to be with her, you may lose your chance."

"Alright! I'm going to do it. If I can't tell her now, I will never be able to." Cyrus said as he headed back to the house.

Lucca watched over Magus. No worse, no better. Schala had left for a little while to get some medical supplies. Lucca stared at him for the longest time. Her eyes fixated on his lifeless face. Suddenly she began to cry. 

"...WHY!!!! Why are you doing this!!! You're stronger than this, what's keeping you!!!! Why are you keeping me in pain!!!!! Why are you being such a BASTARD!!!!!!!" Lucca suddenly became enraged. Overcome with anger, she began to strike him in the chest. She punched and pounded, but found only armor, so she took her anger out on the most exposed part of his body. "WAKE UP, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!" She screamed punching him in the face. His head bobbed from side to side with each blow. She couldn't take it anymore, she broke down and cried on his shoulder.

Cyrus met with Schala as she returned from the shop with the medicines. He had been practicing what he would say since his conversation with Frog, but he found himself speechless as the object of his affection approached him.

"Good evening, Cyrus. How are you?" she asked.

"I am of fine health, thank you. And you?" he replied.

"I'm very well, thank you." Schala said as she headed back. Quickly Cyrus stopped her.

"Schala, wait!" he exclaimed.

"Yes?"

"There's something I need to tell you......it feels kind of weird......"

"What is it, Cyrus?"

"Well, ummmm, okay, ever since I met....no.......you are.......no..."

"What is it?" Schala said, chuckling.

"Alright...."Cyrus said before he took a deep breath. "Schala....I can't hold this off any longer. Everything about you.......you're.....perfect. You're absolutely perfect. From the moment I saw you and heard your voice, I was captivated by you. Your beauty, your kindness, your demeanor, everything is perfect. And ever since I first spoke with you, I knew that..........I.....loved you." Cyrus took a sigh of relief. He looked at the young woman before him. She appeared to be in shock. Her mouth hung open in disbelief. Before she could say anything, however, they heard a scream.

"WAKE UP, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!!!!!" Lucca shouted from the house. Schala and Cyrus rushed back to the house.

Lucca cried on his shoulder for a moment, then she looked him in the face and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Please....wake up. PLEASE....Magus." she said with a quiet intensity. She shook his shoulders, trying to wake him up, but when that failed, she hung her head on his chest. She didn't cry, she couldn't any longer. She'd cried for two days. She just hung her head. Before she could do anything, a hand wrapped around her. She looked up and saw his eyes. His pale blue eyes stared back into her brown ones. They didn't say a word, he just held her, and kissed her once on her forehead. For the first time in nearly a week, Lucca smiled, without a single worry. It was then that Cyrus and Schala broke into the room. Seeing the scene before them, they decided to let the be, and go get Frog. 

As they walked across the bridge, Cyrus and Schala talked. However, they avoided the conversation they had just had. For Cyrus, it was painful. He felt a sharp pain every moment that he waited. For Schala, it was difficult to sort everything out. She knew she enjoyed his company, but she didn't know if she loved him to the extent that he loved her.

"So, what are you going to do, now that he's awake? You don't have any obligation to stay any longer." Schala asked, her mind not really on what they had just seen.

"I'm not sure. I don't know what I can do. I suppose I'll find a cure for Glenn's curse. After that, I don't know. I've never been one to plan my future. I always found life more exciting when you don't know what's going to happen." he said.

"So do I."

"So what are your plans. Are you going to go back, or....." Cyrus seemed a little anxious as he asked.

"I have to sort a few things out here, first. I need to think about everything that's happened. I don't know what I want to do.......everything has happened so fast, it's overwhelming." she couldn't help but think about what he'd said to her as she answered.

"I know what you mean." he said as they approached Frog.

"Yes?" Frog asked.

"Magus has awakened. We came to get you, and to give them some time." Cyrus said. Frog nodded and walked back with them.

Lucca didn't know what to say, she'd almost lost him, and nearly fell apart completely. Now that she had him, she was nearly speechless. After a few moments, she spoke.

"Hi." she said to him, with a smile on her face.

"Hello..." he noticed the tear lines on her face. He wiped them off her cheek with a brush of his gloved hand. "Miss me?" he then noticed the pain in his face and rubbed his cheek bone. She let out a chuckle for a moment.

"Sorry about that. I couldn't....take it. I didn't want to think about being away from you. In such a short time, we fell in love and I couldn't bear to lose you as I finally got you." he looked at her for a moment.

"I'm very fortunate to have someone like you. It was you that kept me going. My spirit could hear your cries and I fought harder with each one. It was hard. When you came to me, I was ready to die, but....after you left, I had to live......" he just looked at her or a moment. "....your so beautiful, Lucca......"

For the world around them, they had been apart for only days, but to them it was an eternity. For the world around them, the held each other for a matter of minutes, but in those minutes, a life time flashed before them. They had each other, once again.........

*Now, the first thing I'm gonna say is, IT IS ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, NOT FINISHED. It may seem that way, but there is much more to be told. I hope you guys love this chapter, I loved writing it. It's a happy happy ending to this chapter!!!!! You guys really think I would kill my favorite character off?! I may deny him happiness or love, but at this point, I don't want to be so depressing as to kill him, so there you have it. Schala knows about Cyrus' feelings now, and we'll hear her answer next chapter. Also, remember the note in the small hole in the cave, we'll hear what that was all about to. And last but not least, THE RETURN OF GLENN!!!!!!" PEACE

Dark Creation


	14. Chapter 14: Schala

Chapter 14: Schala

*13 is an unlucky number to start on, I've only have 4 new reviews for the newest chapter in "The Prophet's Apprentice", so I've got chapter 14 up now! MWAHAHAHAHAHA. If you didn't catch the hint, if you already haven't, review my other story, please!!!!!!!! Well, now that my arrogant cry for attention is over, on with the chapter!

I wasn't exactly sure what to think in that short period of time. It's hard when a man announces his love for you and the man who saved your life by almost giving his, wakes up all in the span of a few minutes. 

When we approached the house, after leaving the two alone for a few minutes, I felt strange. I felt that something strange, something shocking, and something wonderful would happen all in a matter of minutes. It was an eerie feeling. 

I knew the man just as the prophet, before I saw him unconscious in the cavern in which I was imprisoned. He was quiet, cold, and dark in his actions. I had seen him use magic sparingly, despite the great power I felt within him. Without the hood, he was much more menacing. His pale blue eyes were always stuck in a cold stare. He always seemed to be drowning in sorrow, shown by the near constant frown upon his pale face. I had a feeling that this 'Magus' wouldn't be much different than the prophet.

When we entered the room, he had already gotten out of his bed. His appearance was even more intimidating as his blood red cape waved with an unnatural wind. His face, however, softened at the sight of me. A small smile crept upon his face. Then a look of bewilderment erupted as he saw Frog enter the room.

"Wait a minute, excuse me for not greeting everyone properly," he said, sarcastically, "but why is Frog still a frog?"

"What dost thou mean. Mine guise is not as it should be?" Frog asked, confused.

"Didn't you find the note? My 'not so last farewell' note!" he looked at Lucca, who tried to remember something about the said 'note'.

"Well," Lucca said. "we were in such a rush in and out that we forgot about it."

He looked annoyed. Then, he looked up at me. I stared back into his eyes for a moment, then he gestured towards me. We went to the corner of the room.

"Hello, Schala. It's been a while." he said, his voice ridden with guilt.

"Hello, prophet...um...I mean Magus." he seemed to shudder in pain as I said the name.

"....Magus. I never thought I'd hear that name coming from you. It was always a comfort for me, knowing you wouldn't know about it...." he said. I didn't know what he meant. He was always so mysterious in his words, even now.

"What did you want to speak with me for?" I asked him. The question seemed to rank him out of his sea of sorrow and bring him back into reality.

"Oh, yes. That's right. Um, I don't really want to have to explain this right now, so you'll have to just bear with me on this one," he said. I nodded in agreement before he spoke again. "Thank you. Now, go over to Frog and give him a kiss."

At first I repelled. I didn't want to think about kissing him. Not that I thought his personality was repulsive, but have someone ask you to kiss an amphibian is a strange experience, but then I realized what he was getting at. I walked over to him and gave his a slight peck on the cheek. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck from out of nowhere. The room was encompassed in an immense, bright light, too bright to see through.

In an instant, the room had returned to normal, but with a small change. The brave and chivalrous knight known as Frog, was replaced with a handsome man, with a green hair. He was slightly smaller than Cyrus, but much taller than he was before. Everyone's jaw dropped, excluding Magus. He simply smirked for a moment, before speaking again.

"It was a simple frog-princess curse with a slight twist. There was only once princess who would be able to break the spell, and I'm assuming I don't have to tell you who." he said, almost proud of himself.

"Why me?" I asked. I couldn't dream why he'd place a curse upon someone that could only be broken by me.

"When I placed the curse, I was in the middle of a vicious streak. I didn't want anyone lifting it. The rest is a bit more personal and I would rather explain it in private." he said deliberately, gesturing the others to leave. He gave Lucca a kiss before she left, which left me alone with him.

"So, why me?" I asked once again.

"At the time, my mind was bent on one thing, the destruction of Lavos. For what he did to me and my family. I was originally from Zeal, but Lavos destroyed my family, and sent me to the year 600 A.D. There I thought of nothing but revenge. Revenge, and finding my sister," I suddenly realized what he was saying, but too surprised to interrupt, " I practically knew she survived. She had to, because if she hadn't, I couldn't have gone on living. So, I dedicated my life to destroying Lavos, and when I succeeded, I dedicated my life to finding my sister..........you."

Janus. I never would have dreamed, but after I knew, I could see it right away. I don't know how, he didn't look anything like he did when he was a boy, and his magical power had gone from none to immense. He'd changed so much. I looked at him for the longest time, and I could see the pale blue eyes begin to shine brighter for a moment, and that was when I was sure.

"Oh my. Janus? ....Of course. It would explain everything. My god, you've become quite the adult, haven't you. I never would have imagined. You've changed so much...." tears began to fall down my face. I never thought that Janus survived the encounter with Lavos. I grabbed him and hugged him fiercely. I didn't want to let go. It hadn't been very long for me, but I felt the pain of both of us in that moment. I somehow knew what he felt during the years. He smiled. He looked like the boy Janus when he did. 

After a few moments, my mind was redirected, back to the decision I was asked to make. My face must have shown my concern, because Janus acknowledged it immediately.

"What's wrong, Schala?" he asked, protectively. It reminded me of when he was a boy.

"Oh nothing is wrong, I've just got to think about something."

"Well, tell me about it, perhaps I can help." He offered, trying to comfort me. I accepted, but didn't want to use Cyrus' name. 

"A man told me he loved me, and I'm not sure how to react to him." I said. It sounded a little strange to me. 

"I see," he said. I could already see anger grow in him a bit. "Well, do you love him?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, I like him, and he's kind, gentle, and caring. I like being around him, but I'm not sure it's love."

"Well, Schala. I'm not that knowledged in the ways of love to give you any advice, other than that you should listen to your feelings. If you feel it's right, than it probably is." I could tell it was hard for him to say that. I don't think he would trust a man to love me. 

We left the room to find the three in the next room, talking. About what, I'm not sure, but their conversation stopped when we entered. I turned around to look Janus at Janus.

"Well, this feels strange, doesn't it?" Janus said to everyone. We all nodded in agreement. "So this quest has finally come to an end, but there's no big party this time. I suppose you'll want to go back and return to your own times..................." I stopped listening to what he was saying. I couldn't get my mind off of Cyrus. I thought about what Janus had told me, but my feelings were mixed. The more I thought about it, however, the closer I came to my decision. 

"Excuse me," I chimed in. "Cyrus, I'd like to have a word with you."

I could feel Janus' anger as he realized who the man was. We walked into the next room. I knew Janus would sense what was happening, but I didn't care. I needed to resolve this, and I had already made my decision. I closed the door behind us.

"Cyrus......."

"Yes......." he said, eagerly.

"I love you too."

I had finally realized it after I spoke with Janus. I didn't exactly understand how I knew it, but I knew it. I had loved him since I met him, it just hadn't occurred to me. He was charming, considerate, handsome and fun. I admit, he wasn't exactly who I pictured my soulmate to be, which could be why I was a little unsure about my feelings, but I knew it then.

Unfortunately, Cyrus only had time to smile, before Janus rushed in and pinned him to the wall. His murderous gaze piercing Cyrus. Janus held him by his breast plate. He bared his fangs with anger, his eyes turned deep red. The wind in his cape grew stronger. I could only watch, and hope, and pray for my love. Janus growled at him for a moment before speaking.

"Schala, leave me with him for a moment...." he said, his voice was now slightly deeper and much harsher, a voice filled with anger.

"No, I won't leave you to hurt him, Janus." Cyrus was surprised by my use of the name. Janus turned and looked at me, his eyes still boiling red.

"Schala, leave!" he commanded. He seemed to have calmed a bit. "I've got some business with him. I will leave him.....unscarred." He looked back towards Cyrus. I looked at them before I left, hoping that everything would be alright. Hoping.................

*A ha! I hope I did everything I said I was gonna do. It's hard to remember, but oh well. We're drawing to the closing, with a huge LuMa chapter as we get back to where we once belonged, Magus' POV! Now, I've got a favor to ask you. If you happen to review this story, I would like you to tell me a few things. I'd like you to tell me what you liked/disliked about each POV ( like if they seemed right and what not) and what you thought of the alternating POV format. I'm a scholar of my own writing and am always looking for ways to make it better. I hope you all liked this, and I hope you all review!! You guys are the best. CT is so much better than DBZ to write in, I don't know why. Anyway, I'm rambling, so I'll leave you with a Promo of "The Prophet's Apprentice", review it, it's not much yet, but trust me, this is gonna be one of my best. PEACE

Dark Creation


	15. Chapter 15: Magus

Chapter 15: Magus

My anger was intense, as hot as any fire of hell. Cyrus had pissed me off more than almost any other being in existence. I focused my anger into my hands, and Cyrus' breastplate began to get hot. I could only stare at him in anger, but I felt more surprised. I knew whom Schala meant when we left the room, but I could hold myself back no longer after her reply. 

It soon became apparent to me that I was still weak, because despite my ominous presence in front of Cyrus, It became difficult to stand. After a few moments, I let go and reeled backwards, holding my head. I went down on one knee and looked up at Cyrus with a burning hatred. I didn't really know why I hated him. I had no reason to, other than the simple fact that he wanted to be close to Schala.

It's hard, really, when you find yourself in a situation where no matter what, you're reacting wrongly. It wasn't like he was attacking Schala, or using her. My only reasoning would be that I cared for her more than anything for more than 20 years, and I didn't deserve her. It was almost as if I felt that if anyone could care for her as much as I do, they didn't deserve her either.

"Magus, are you alrigh........"

"Shut up! You are not to speak!" I shouted at him and shot to my feet. My pain wasn't an obstacle, my anger easily knocked it down. "Hmph, you don't know what I have done for her. You don't realize the sacrifices, the pain, the crimes I endured for her. You think that you can just appear and take her, I don't think so. I don't care if she loves you or not......" I was being selfish, childish. I wanted to make him cry, but this time I didn't want to apologize. I wanted to reveal his weakness. I wanted him to break down. I wanted to harm him. "You don't deserve her. You're lucky I allow you to be in her presence." I walked right up to him, right to his face. I could see my reflection in his eyes. He didn't back down, however. A trait of Cyrus' that is most admirable.

"Magus, she is not yours. She isn't a possession. She deserves to choose for herself. She is a human being, who is capable of making her own decisions. I don't care if you can kill me or not. I love her, Magus. I don't want to hurt her. I figured you would have to love for her to be happy for her."

"Hmph, I can never be happy. I live with unimaginable pain that will never stop. She means more to me than my own life. You've known her for days. Love doesn't just happen. 'Love at first sight' is just a fairy tale, life doesn't work that way." My argument was getting more defensive. I wouldn't make it easy for him.

"Magus, why can't you just give it a chance. Think of yourself. Think about you and Lucca. Do you want to deny Schala the chance at the happiness that the two of you share. Don't deny it, you can't be as cold and joyless as you claim." 

My mind was filled with thoughts. My life had been previously filled with so mach pain that it overshadowed the happiness I had found. Or was I really joyless, and Lucca just eased the pain. While I thought to myself, Cyrus stared at me. His face was a face that beseeched me, begged me to allowed them to be together. I thought of Schala. Cyrus was as good a man as you could find. He was honest, kind, and loyal, if a little headstrong. I let my own hatred of him seep over. I backed away from him. I could feel Schala's presence, peeking through the door. The more I felt her, felt her thoughts, her hope, the more I was inclined to step aside.

"Cyrus......" I paused, trying to find the words. "........I...I.....fine." as soon as I conceded, Schala rushed in and hugged me, wrapped her arms around my neck so tightly that it almost cut off my breath.

"Janus, thank you!" I wasn't exactly sure of what she was thanking me for. She had always been of a strong will and probably would have stayed with him, even if I hadn't been convinced. Still, I wasn't about to let them just have it.

"Schala, I'm not just going to accept it. Now don't think I'm doing this just because of what's going on, but I plan on taking a long trip. You may never see me again. I had originally intended for us to go on it together, but if you stay........" I knew she would. She didn't have to say anything. She just hung her head for a moment, then she kissed me on the cheek.

".....Thank you, Janus, for everything you've done. Goodbye." she frowned and walked over to Cyrus. I charged out of the room and left them. Lucca saw me leave and followed me outside.

"What are you doing! You're just going to leave her?!" She asked.

"Lucca, I can't just stay in one place and watch over her. If she is going to stay with him, than I will just have to leave without her. I somewhat regret my decision, but I stand by it. I'd regret it if I stayed."

"What.....?" her emotions were to mixed with her logic to see what I was saying.

"Cyrus will protect her. He'll take care of her. She no longer needs me, and it will be just easier if I stay out of their lives, especially if they are going to live in 600 A.D. There is nothing that staying put can offer me, save you, but I have a feeling you'll go with me."

"Magus...."

"Please, Lucca. That 'man' is dead. Please, call me by my real name."

"Janus. Of course I'll go with you, but that's not the point. You worked so hard to find and save her. You nearly killed yourself! You're going to ignore all the time, all the work, all the heart you put into it and leave her?"

"Yes. It's the best way."

"How can it be the best way?!"

"Lucca, she could never be with a man with me around. I'm too protective, too needy. I'm a child, Lucca. I'm a child with a toy. I can't share the toy if I have it. I have to keep it to myself. I'm not going to make her my possession." I began to drift. "It's a shame. I bet she'll look beautiful in her wedding dress."

"Ma...Janus. Are you sure that this is the only way? That you can't learn to let someone else love her. I know how much it's going to hurt you."

"I know how much it will hurt too, but this is for her. I love her, Lucca, and that's why I have to leave her. I'm just glad you're there to help me. You'll ease that pain, Lucca." I could feel a single tear form in my eye as I spoke. Lucca kissed me and I held her in my arms. I had decided. 

Now, I often look back. I wonder if what I had done was right. Could I have stayed? Could I have learned to let Cyrus be with her. I didn't want to take the chance. If I stayed, I risked ruining two people's happiness. Leaving meant I risked ruining my own, but I would always have Lucca.

I went to bed that night, knowing that the next couple of days may be the last time I would see Schala ever again. My eyes would not close, even if I had wanted them. My thoughts were plagued by that fact. My soul was tormented. When I did sleep, I could only dream of her, and after a few minutes, it turned into a nightmare. I saw her die in many different ways. I saw her in torment, in pain. Then the scene would change, Cyrus would rescue her. She would call him her hero. She had forgotten about me, her first hero.......

*I know it's been a while. I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm working on chapter 3 for The Prophet's Apprentice, which is slowly coming around. The next chapter is kick-ass, trust me. Keep the reviews coming. I'm hopin to break 100 here, pretty quick. Maybe 2 or 3 more chapters (wow, don't I sound arrogant) Also, I'm going to start posting edited, typo-less chapter to this story soon. PEACE

Dark Creation


	16. Epilogue: Lucca

Epilogue: Lucca

* This is it folks, the last chapter. I had originally planned on going another 4 or 5 chapters with this, but I felt that it would get very corny had I continued. However, I am thinking about writing a sequel that alternates focus on the journeys of Magus/Janus and Lucca and those of Cyrus, Schala, and Frog/Glenn. Tell me what you think about the ending to this and that idea. I'm doin it for you guys, so give me some feedback!

He acted very strangely for a while after that. We didn't leave for a month or two. Often times, during that span of time, he would sit in the corner next to the staircase that led to my room. He'd sit the there, sulking in the darkness and drinking a cup of cider or a glass of wine. I'd try to talk to him, but he would just stare into his drink.

Eventually, he came out of his emotional comatose and began to act a little more like Magus again, but there was always a part of him that would stay changed, the part of Janus that grew back into him.

He never let me call him Magus again. I could tell, by the anger in his voice when he scolded me for it, that he hated that name with a passion. 

We often talked about heroism and villainy. He said that his heroic acts led to more pain than his villanous ones. He'd go on about how when he was driven by hate and anger, his pain was secondary, but as he became more in tune with his emotions and began to act more on morality, he reacted at an intense level. He said some times he wished he'd never switched sides. There was one night when we talked about this that he admitted that he wouldn't be happier as a villain, it just wouldn't show. He made the point that he wouldn't have saved Schala nor fallen in love with me had he stayed a villain, and that those to parts of his life were the most important to him.

We travelled across time periods. From 12,000 BC to 2300 AD and even to times that we had never been before. Eventually we settled down in 1500 AD. I could go to the truce cemetary and see the graves of my friends and my parents. Magus often visited the grave of his sister. She and Cyrus lived together for another 70 years after that. Schala lived to be 104, but Cyrus died at the age of 91. We never found Glenn's grave. We always assumed he died in some great battle and with him, the Masamune was lost.

We've lived peacefully in 1500 AD. Janus's imposing figure keeps people from bothering us, but I still have many friends in that time period. I even met the decendents of Crono and Marle, the ones we could find, anyway. They are just like them.

Speaking of children, we have two of our own. About 5 years after we settled down, at the young age of 37, I concieved my first child. It was a boy that we named Gerard. 3 years later, I had a daughter, whom we named Laria. As I write this, I'm pregnant with my third and final child. I'm 44. 

Don't think that I havn't had my fill of adventures since then. I spent 10 years roaming the time stream with an adventurous warlock. We had fun, but eventually, adventures get boring, even for him. 

We both keep busy. I spend time raising two children and building new machines as well as fixing the old ones.. Janus now works as a historian at the Truce Museum. He doesn't do all that much there, other than copy down the infinate number of spells he's memorized and give lectures about what he knows of the past, present, and future. He's still very powerful and quick to anger, and wears the same stupid outfit he always did, but he usually keeps the scythe at home. He can still use magic with the best of them. He's used it twice to frighten away kids who try to hassle him. He thinks it's hilarious the way the young men scream like 5-year old girls after he blows up a tree or other object.

We're happy living out boring lives, but we still reminice about our adventures. We often use them as bed time stories. Our children are already eager to have adventures of their own.

I still have the picture that was drawn at the fairgrounds. It reminds me of our youth, the time before we fell in love. We struggled, back then, to get where we are now, but we're happy, and that's all we really wanted.

*Yeah, I know that had some corny aspects, but a dark wizard cannot terrify the country forever. Anyway, thanx to everyone who's reviewed this and will review it. It means a lot to me. Remember to let me know what you think I should do. I love to hear from you guys. I can't believe this one is finally done. Maybe someday I'll re-write it and make it better......hmmmmmm. Anyway, read and review (for the final time). I love you guys. PEACE!!

Dark Creation


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